Author: Rick Olson

In their season opener Thursday, the No. 17-ranked Eden Prairie Eagles boys hockey team was narrowly defeated 4-3 in overtime by the No. 5-ranked Hill-Murray Pioneers at Aldrich Arena in Maplewood. The Eagles led late in the third period, but Hill-Murray tied the game 3-3 with a goal at the 28.8-second mark remaining in regulation. Overtime saw scoring chances for both teams, but the Pioneers clinched the win with 14.6 seconds remaining. The Eagles boys hockey team will face Blake in their home opener at the Eden Prairie Community Center on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m.

Edina upset top-ranked Eden Prairie 28-7 in the Class 6A semifinal game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Friday night. The Hornets jumped to a 21-0 lead by halftime. Although the Eagles scored a touchdown in the third quarter, making it 28-7, they couldn’t stage a comeback. The lone touchdown for the Eagles came on a 13-yard run by junior running back Jeremiah Fredericks. The Eagles’ only loss this season concludes an impressive year. They finish 11-1. Meanwhile, Edina (9-3) advances to the championship game, where they will face Centennial on Friday, Nov. 24. Check back in with eplocalnews.org for complete…

A rare albino squirrel has been photographed right here in Eden Prairie. Rick Olson, a resident and also a photographer for Eden Prairie Local News (EPLN), captured this distinctive creature from his front yard. Eden Prairie residents often see gray squirrels scurrying around neighborhoods and parks in the fall, searching for food, and locals occasionally see a white squirrel. But what sets this particular squirrel apart is its possible albinism, distinguished by eye color and genetics. To confirm the true nature of his discovery, Olson reached out to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Blane Klemek, Minnesota DNR Northwest regional…

In a face-off between two of the top football teams in Class 6A, No. 1-ranked Eden Prairie bested No. 3 Minnetonka 28-14 on the road Thursday night. After leading 21-0 at halftime, the Eagles saw the Skippers rally with 14 points in the third quarter. Yet, a fourth-quarter drive, highlighted by Dominic Heim’s 2-yard rushing touchdown, sealed the win for the Eagles. Eden Prairie improved its record to 6-0 and will face Rochester Mayo at Aerie Stadium on Friday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m.

Both the Eden Prairie High School boys and girls soccer teams met with identical 3-0 home defeats at the hands of Minnetonka on Tuesday. The boys’ game saw a tight contest for much of the match. With both the Skippers, ranked No. 7 in the state, and the Eagles locked in a scoreless draw, it wasn’t until 12:49 remained that Minnetonka broke through, eventually securing their 3-0 win. The loss drops Eden Prairie’s record to 5-3-0. The Eagles are set to play Hopkins on the road Thursday at 7 p.m. In the girls’ game, the Skippers, ranked No. 4 in…

Eden Prairie Local News (EPLN) photographer Rick Olson didn’t let Monday night’s rare celestial opportunity pass him by. Heeding a prediction from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center, which gave an exceptional score of 9 out of 10 for aurora borealis visibility in the Northern Hemisphere between 10 p.m. Monday and 4 a.m. Tuesday, Olson traveled just 30 minutes west of Eden Prairie to capture the northern lights in all their glory. “Night photography requires a steady tripod because the exposure times for the northern lights could vary between two seconds and 30 seconds,” Olson…

The Eden Prairie High School football team started its season on a high note, decisively beating Buffalo 48-7 on Thursday night at Aerie Stadium. Eagles junior running back Jeremy Fredericks (30) rushed for two touchdowns in the first half, and senior running back Hawken Hedlund (6) matched that effort with two touchdowns before halftime. Check back in with eplocalnews.org for complete coverage.

Eden Prairie Local News photographer Rick Olson documented a unique celestial event on Wednesday night as a rare blue supermoon graced the night sky. Olson’s skillful photography showcased the astronomical phenomenon, which marked the closest and brightest full moon of the year. The blue supermoon phenomenon occurred due to the presence of a second full moon in the month of August, which led to its “blue” label. Additionally, the moon’s close proximity to Earth qualified it as a supermoon. Olson’s images exhibited the moon’s rise, characterized by a warm orange hue. This coloration arises from the moonlight’s interaction with Earth’s…

The Eden Prairie High School boys soccer team opened its season Thursday with a 3-0 home victory over St. Louis Park. Senior forward Ryan Donohue (10) scored all three goals for the Eagles. Meanwhile, the EPHS girls fell 1-0 to Blaine at home in their Thursday opener, with the Bengals scoring the lone goal with just 3:53 left in the game. Both EPHS boys and girls soccer teams will play in Shakopee on Saturday, Aug. 26. The boys kick off at 5 p.m., followed by the girls at 7 p.m., at Shakopee West Middle School.

In a Friday, Aug. 18, showdown that was about more than just points, the Eden Prairie High School football team and staff at The Waters of Eden Prairie senior living community faced off in their 14th annual friendly touch-football game. While the high school players had a size advantage, the game’s highlight came in its closing moments. The Waters’ quarterback launched a Hail Mary pass that sailed over the outstretched hand of Eagles senior Vinny Dykstra, allowing a player from The Waters to make an amazing one-handed catch for a game-winning touchdown. After the play, Coach Grant was overheard saying…